MADISON – Sherwin Callander, U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, received a “Quilt of Valor” from the Quilts of Valor Foundation in North Alabama.

Callander, who is 97 years old, accepted the quilt during a brief gathering on Jan. 26 in the community room of his apartment complex, Dublin Village. He is a member of Madison American Legion, Post 229.

Before the quilt presentation, Cindy Wallace presented a certificate honoring Callander’s service to the nation and showing her organization’s support and appreciation. Wallace serves as Project Patriot Chair of Gunter Mountain Chapter of National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution or NSDAR.

Lynn Hales presented the quilt to Callander. Hales serves as a coordinator for North Alabama with Quilts of Valor Foundation.

“The presentation was a patriotic event, honoring a special armed services veteran and was well attended,” Lisa Vannoy said. “Representatives of Mr. Callander’s American Legion, Post 229 of Madison and the Forever Young Senior Veterans organization were present, along with numerous family members.”

“The amazing quilt he was presented was lovingly made by my mother, Elizabeth S. Wild of Sumter, S.C.,” Lisa Vannoy said. Elizabeth Wild’s husband, the late Raymond Wild, was an Air Force veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars.

“Sherwin was honored to know people remembered and cared. This is why we STAND,” Vannoy said.

Quilts of Valor Foundation’s mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. A volunteer (or volunteers) make each quilt by hand and donate their own time and materials to make the quilts.

Each quilt “is awarded to a veteran to express the message, ‘Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor’ in serving our nation in combat,” Hales said. “Nationally, over 179,786 quilts have been awarded since the organization was founded in 2003 with over 1,421 quilts during January 2018 alone.”

Callander joined the U.S. Navy before World War II in September 1939. He was serving on board the U.S.S. Wright stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His ship arrived in Pearl Harbor less than a day following the Japanese attack on the American’s Pacific Fleet.

Callander remained on active duty until the war’s end, serving on an amphibious landing craft during the invasion of North Africa; the invasion Salerno, Italy; and the invasion of France participating in every wave of landings on Utah Beach at Normandy. He separated from the Navy following the end of World War II as a Fireman First Class.

For more information, visit qovf.org or contact Quilts of Valor Foundation at P.O. Box 191, Winterset, Iowa 50273.

American Legion, Post 229 of Madison meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Lunar Lodge 918, 740 Eastview Drive in Madison.